22004 Commentary on the Song of Songs
The Spring of Love and the Anxiety in Love
The Song of Songs 2:8-3:5

Download PDF:
https://od.lk/f/MV8zNDE2MjU3NTBf
https://od.lk/fl/MV8xODI0MzMzNl8

Please share this website with all your friends and family members. Thank you, and God bless.

All the Bible verses quoted in this article are from the King James Version, unless otherwise noted.

The Song of Songs 2:8-17

8 The voice of my beloved! behold, he cometh leaping upon the mountains, skipping upon the hills.

9 My beloved is like a roe or a young hart: behold, he standeth behind our wall, he looketh forth at the windows, shewing himself through the lattice.

10 My beloved spake, and said unto me, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away.

11 For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone;

12 The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land;

13 The fig tree putteth forth her green figs, and the vines with the tender grape give a good smell. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away.

14 O my dove, that art in the clefts of the rock, in the secret places of the stairs, let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice; for sweet is thy voice, and thy countenance is comely.

15 Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes.

16 My beloved is mine, and I am his: he feedeth among the lilies.

17 Until the day break, and the shadows flee away, turn, my beloved, and be thou like a roe or a young hart upon the mountains of Bether.

The Song of Songs 3:1-5

1 By night on my bed I sought him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not.

2 I will rise now, and go about the city in the streets, and in the broad ways I will seek him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not.

3 The watchmen that go about the city found me: to whom I said, Saw ye him whom my soul loveth?

4 It was but a little that I passed from them, but I found him whom my soul loveth: I held him, and would not let him go, until I had brought him into my mother’s house, and into the chamber of her that conceived me.

5 I charge you, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, by the roes, and by the hinds of the field, that ye stir not up, nor awake my love, till he please.

Time flies, and the engagement period between Solomon and Shulamite has entered a new year, when the cold winter has passed and the warm spring is coming. Spring also symbolizes the warmth of love and the vitality of love.

On an early spring day, Solomon came to find Shulamite to invite her to enjoy the spring scenery and visit the vineyards that were beginning to sprout and bud. Their love was in a ripe stage, ready to enter into marriage. Although Shulamite rejoiced in the love Solomon had for her, somewhere deep within her heart, there was worry and insecurity, causing her to dream that Solomon was no longer by her side, and she went searching for Solomon.

Below is the verse division according to the context of the Song of Songs 2:8-3:5.

I. The Engagement Stage (1:2-3:5)

A. Love for Each Other (1:2-2:7)

1. Shulamite’s Love for Solomon (1:2-8)

2. The Language of Love (1:9-2:7)

B. The Maturity of Love (2:8-3:5)

1. The Springtime of Love (2:8-17)

2. The Anxiety in Love (3:1-5)

(1) Shulamite: The voice of my beloved! behold, he cometh leaping upon the mountains, skipping upon the hills. My beloved is like a roe or a young hart: behold, he standeth behind our wall, he looketh forth at the windows, shewing himself through the lattice.

(2) Shulamite: My beloved spake, and said unto me, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away. For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone; The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land; The fig tree putteth forth her green figs, and the vines with the tender grape give a good smell. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away.

(3) Solomon and Shulamite: Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes.

(4) Shulamite: My beloved is mine, and I am his: he feedeth among the lilies.

(5) Shulamite: Until the day break, and the shadows flee away, turn, my beloved, and be thou like a roe or a young hart upon the mountains of Bether.

(6) Shulamite: By night on my bed I sought him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not. I will rise now, and go about the city in the streets, and in the broad ways I will seek him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not. The watchmen that go about the city found me: to whom I said, Saw ye him whom my soul loveth? It was but a little that I passed from them, but I found him whom my soul loveth: I held him, and would not let him go, until I had brought him into my mother’s house, and into the chamber of her that conceived me.

(7) Shulamite: I charge you, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, by the roes, and by the hinds of the field, that ye stir not up, nor awake my love, till he please.

Next, let’s explore the meaning of each verse together:

(1) Shulamite: “The voice of my beloved! behold, he cometh leaping upon the mountains, skipping upon the hills. My beloved is like a roe or a young hart: behold, he standeth behind our wall, he looketh forth at the windows, shewing himself through the lattice.”

Spring is coming, and Shulamite is with the maidens in the palace, a place reserved for virgins chosen to become queens or concubines, preparing for the wedding day. She hears the voice of her beloved and tells the maidens that it is the voice of her beloved. It could be that Solomon, while leaping over the hills and crossing the mounds, is singing and calling her name. She looks through the lattice and sees her beloved running toward her. She imagines her beloved as swift as a gazelle or a young stag. She sees Solomon outside the palace wall, looking through the lattice of the windows, seeking her figure.

Shulamite’s song shows her joy when hearing her beloved’s voice and seeing her beloved.

Verse (1) can be paraphrased as follows: Shulamite speaks to the maidens: Do you hear that? It is the voice of my beloved. He is calling my name. Look, there! He has come! He has leaped over the hills and crossed the mounds, as swift as a gazelle, like a young stag, to find me. He has come to the outside wall of our dwelling place and is looking through the windows, through the lattice, to find me.

The noun “הַר” (har) /har/ (H2022) in Hebrew can refer to a mountain or a range of hills. Based on the context, we choose to translate it as “the hills.”

The noun “גִּבְעָה” (giḇʿâ) /ghib-aw’/ (H1389) in Hebrew can refer to a hill, meaning a small mountain, or a high mound rising from the plain. Based on the context, we choose to translate it as “the mounds.”

Spiritual lesson: In our walk with the Lord, there will be times when the Lord comes to seek us to bring us into intimate fellowship with Him and to review the spiritual vineyards He has given us. Do we recognize the voice of the Lord? Do we joyfully seize the opportunity to have intimate fellowship with the Lord and review our spiritual fruits?

(2) Shulamite: “My beloved spake, and said unto me, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away. For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone; The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land; The fig tree putteth forth her green figs, and the vines with the tender grape give a good smell. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away.”

Shulamite may have hurried to the window to respond to Solomon. But through the lattice, Solomon still couldn’t clearly see her face. He called out to her, asking her to come outside so he could see her face, hear her voice, and have her join him in enjoying the spring scenery. Shulamite recounted to the maidens the loving and affectionate words of Solomon.

Solomon called Shulamite, “My love! My beautiful one! My dove!” Solomon described the joyfulness of spring, which is also the season for preparing for the wedding.

Winter is past, the rain is over and gone, just as the days of temporary separation between the lovers have ended. Spring has arrived with warm sunshine and nature brimming with life, illustrating the peaceful and happy days the lovers will spend together. Across the meadows and hills, flowers bloom with vibrant colors and fragrances. Throughout the land, the air is filled with the songs of chirping birds and the cooing of doves, like the songs of lovers. The unripe figs on the fig trees are ripening, the grapevines are blossoming, and their fragrance is spreading…

Solomon invited his beloved to come out of the palace so he could gaze upon her beautiful face and hear her gentle voice.

Verse (2) can be paraphrased as follows: Shulamite speaks to the maidens, Sisters! My beloved responded to my greeting and said to me: My love, my beautiful one! Arise and come with me! Let’s walk together through the meadows and visit my vineyards, which are also yours. Behold, the cold winter has passed and the rain is over and gone. Many beautiful flowers are appearing on the earth. The season of singing birds has come, and the voice of the dove is heard in our land. The fig tree is forming its early fruit. The blossoming vines spread their fragrance. My love, my beautiful one! Arise and come with me! My beloved! You are hidden in the palace like a dove in the clefts of the rock, in the secret places of the mountainside! My dove! Come to me; let me see your lovely face! Let me hear your gentle voice! Your face is beautiful, and your voice is sweet, making me intoxicated with the fragrance of love.

Spiritual lesson: The days of separation between the Church and Christ are about to end. Christ will come to take the Church out of the world and into heaven with Him, at any moment. Currently, Christ is visiting the Church through fellowship with the Church in spirit. He leads the Church through the spiritual blessings of a new life, a life away from the cold spiritual winter of sin, immersed in the warm spiritual spring of Christ’s love. Christ wants to see the beauty of the Church, which is the glory He has given to it (John 17:22). Christ wants to hear the Church converse with Him. The Church needs to affirm its love for Christ, reflect the glory Christ has given it, and be ready for “the day of fetching the bride,” the day when the Church is taken up by Christ into the air.

(3) Solomon and Shulamite: “Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes.”

Solomon and Shulamite visited Solomon’s vineyards, which are now also Shulamite’s property. The grapevines were in the flowering stage, preparing to bear fruit. They noticed signs of damage and burrows made by fennec foxes. They requested the gardeners catch the fennec foxes that were destroying their vineyards.

The fennec foxes in the Middle East, about the size of domestic cats, often dig burrows for their homes underground. Their burrows can be as large as 120 square meters. Therefore, if such fennec foxes take refuge in a vineyard, they can cause significant damage to the vines. Fennec foxes also eat grapes and various other fruits.

Illutration: Fennec foxes

The fennec foxes can also symbolize the faults in the relationship of lovers that prevent love from flourishing, such as:

• Blind jealousy.
• Selfishness.
• Disrespect toward the beloved and failure to acknowledge and apologize for mistakes.
• Inability to forgive.

These faults need to be removed from one’s life.

Verse (3) can be paraphrased as follows: Both Solomon and Shulamite said to the vineyard workers: There are fennec foxes hiding in our vineyards, damaging the vines. Please help us catch them before they kill the vines that are budding.

Spiritual lesson: In the new life of God’s people, sometimes seemingly minor faults can cause significant damage, preventing our spiritual lives from bearing fruit. These faults need to be removed from our lives. We need the help of our brothers and sisters in the Church to point out these faults so we can recognize and forsake them. Our spiritual vineyard is the field of service to the Lord through the Church, given to us by Christ. We cannot allow our faults to damage the work of Christ. The following are common issues that hinder the growth of the Church:

• Envy and rivalry, which lead to speaking ill of fellow believers.
• Selfishness, which means lack of concern for and unwillingness to help fellow believers.
• Pride, which means not considering others as more respectable than oneself, and failure to acknowledge and apologize for mistakes.
• Unwillingness to forgive.

We need to examine ourselves to remove these spiritual fennec foxes from our lives and our service to the Lord.

(4) Shulamite: “My beloved is mine, and I am his: he feedeth among the lilies. Until the day break, and the shadows flee away, turn, my beloved, and be thou like a roe or a young hart upon the mountains of Bether.”

Shulamite’s song expresses the original truth about the marital relationship:

“And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.” (Genesis 2:23-24)

This truth has been affirmed by the Lord Jesus Christ:

“Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.” (Matthew 19:6)

And it is taught by the Holy Spirit:

“The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife.” (1 Corinthians 7:4)

Only when we clearly understand and live according to the knowledge that husband and wife are one flesh, the husband’s body belongs to the wife, and the wife’s body belongs to the husband, can marital love truly flourish in the blessings of the Lord.

Verse (4) can be paraphrased as follows: Shulamite says to herself what she realizes: My beloved belongs to me, and I belong to him. He is like a shepherd, and I am like a lily of the valleys, refreshing him. I will take part in assisting him in his work.

Spiritual lesson: Christ belongs to the Church, and the Church belongs to Christ. Christ is the head, and the Church is the body of Christ. Every believer is a member of the body of Christ. Christ is carrying out His ministry through the Church and among the Church. Christ continues to save many through the Church. Christ is shepherding His flock among the Church.

(5) Shulamite: “Until the day break, and the shadows flee away, turn, my beloved, and be thou like a roe or a young hart upon the mountains of Bether.”

“Until the day break, and the shadows flee away” is a literary expression describing the early morning breeze at dawn, dispelling the darkness. Shulamite promises to meet her beloved the next morning. She wants to continue enjoying the springtime scenery with him. Shulamite hopes her beloved will come to her quickly. She imagines his strong and agile form, like the swiftness and vigor of a gazelle or young stag, undeterred by the rugged, steep mountains. Shulamite believes that there will be no obstacle in their love that her beloved cannot overcome.”

Verse (5) can be paraphrased as follows: Shulamite says to Solomon, My beloved! The evening has come. It is time for me to return to the palace. Tomorrow morning, when dawn breaks and the early breeze dispels the night, please hurry back to find me. Come quickly to seek me! Even if there are obstacles, I believe you will overcome them easily, like a gazelle or a young stag leaping over the mountain slopes.

Spiritual lesson: Beyond our times of worship together with the Church, we should desire moments of private fellowship with Christ. Each day, no matter what we are doing, our spirits can still converse with Christ. Christ is always beside us, working with us as we bear His yoke and work for Him (Matthew 11:29). There will never be anything that can prevent Christ from loving us and coming to us. Only if we do not love Christ as He loves us, fall into temptation, refuse to suffer for His name, or prefer the world and its things over loving God will there be obstacles.

(6) Shulamite: “By night on my bed I sought him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not. I will rise now, and go about the city in the streets, and in the broad ways I will seek him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not. The watchmen that go about the city found me: to whom I said, Saw ye him whom my soul loveth? It was but a little that I passed from them, but I found him whom my soul loveth: I held him, and would not let him go, until I had brought him into my mother’s house, and into the chamber of her that conceived me.”

Although Shulamite knew that Solomon loved her deeply, considering her above all his queens and concubines, she still harbored anxiety and insecurity deep within her heart, unsure if there would ever be a reason for her to lose Solomon’s love. This anxiety manifested in a dream.

Shulamite recounted her dream to the queens and concubines. In her dream, she saw that Solomon and she were married and thus shared a bed. But one night, when she awoke, she found her husband no longer beside her. She hurriedly got up and wandered around the city, through the streets and avenues, searching for her husband. She asked the guards patrolling the city. After leaving the guards, she found her husband. Shulamite clung tightly to him, afraid to let go, and took him to her mother’s house, into her mother’s private room. Shulamite recognized that her mother’s private room was also where her parents had loved each other and where her mother had conceived her. In Shulamite’s subconscious, her mother’s room, where she was conceived, symbolizes the intimate, warm, and happy space of marital love. Instead of bringing her husband back to her own private room, Shulamite brought him to her mother’s room, as an act symbolizing her desire for their love to always remain warm and happy.

Shulamite used the phrase “whom my soul loveth” to express that she loved her husband with all her heart.

Verse (6) can be paraphrased as follows: Shulamite says to the queens and concubines, Sisters! I had a dream like this: At night, in my bed, I sought my husband, the one I love with all my heart. I searched but could not find him. So, I decided to get up immediately and wander around the city, through the streets and avenues, to find my beloved husband. I searched everywhere but could not find him. The city guards encountered me, and I asked them if they had seen my beloved husband. After leaving them, I found him. I held onto him, unwilling to let go, until I brought him to my mother’s house and into my mother’s room, where my parents had loved each other and where my mother had conceived me.

Spiritual lesson: On our journey with the Lord, there are times when, due to a little doubt, fear, lack of faith, or weakness leading to stumbling, we worry that the Lord might forsake us. However, when we come to the Lord with a repentant heart, confessing all our sins, we receive His forgiveness (1 John 1:9). At that point, we rejoice in remaining in His love. We experience His faithfulness and His vast, boundless grace toward us.

(7) Shulamite: “I charge you, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, by the roes, and by the hinds of the field, that ye stir not up, nor awake my love, till he please.”

Perhaps after hearing Shulamite recount her dream, the queens and concubines encouraged her to use sex to bind Solomon to her. They might have advised her to engage with Solomon before the wedding to ensure that he would not change his mind about marrying her. Their suggestion was malicious. They hoped Shulamite would make a mistake and sin, giving them a reason to speak ill of her and shame her. They pretended to support her, plotting to help her keep her beloved. However, Shulamite wisely rejected their advice by reminding them that while love is beautiful, like the swift and gentle gazelles and does, intimacy requires time; otherwise, they will quickly flee. In romantic relationships, sexual relations must occur at the right time and in accordance with proper rituals. Sexual relations before marriage, even between two people who are engaged, will diminish the nobility and sanctity of marital love in the Lord.

Verse (7) can be paraphrased as follows: Shulamite says to the queens and concubines, O sisters! Please do not urge me to engage in sexual relations before the wedding. The nobility and sanctity of love will quickly vanish if sexual satisfaction occurs outside of proper rituals. Just as the beautiful gazelles and does of the field will quickly flee when startled before becoming accustomed to human approach.

Spiritual lesson: As God’s people, we must maintain purity and avoid fornication. When we commit physical fornication, we also commit spiritual fornication, valuing sexual satisfaction above reverence for God.

We have now completed our exploration of the meaning of the Song of Songs 2:8-3:5. Here is a summary of our interpretation of the Song of Songs 2:8-3:5:

Do you hear it, sisters? It’s the voice of my beloved. He’s calling my name. Look, there he is! He has leaped over the hills and crossed the mounds, swift as a gazelle and as a young stag, to find me. He has come to the outside of our dwelling and is looking through the windows, peering through the lattice ,to find me.

O sisters! My beloved has responded to my greeting, and he has said to me: ‘Arise, my love, my beautiful one, and come away with me! Let us go out into the fields and visit the vineyards, which are also yours. Behold, the winter has passed, and the rain is over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth, and the time for singing has come. The voice of the turtledove is heard in our land. The fig tree puts forth her green figs, and the vines with the tender grapes give off a good smell. Arise, my love, my beautiful one, and come away with me! My beloved, you are hiding in your chamber like a dove in the clefts of the rock, in the secret places of the steep hill! O my dove, come to me and let me see your face! Let me hear your voice! Your face is lovely, and your voice is sweet, making me intoxicated with the flavor of love.

There are little foxes hiding in our vineyards, destroying the vines. Please help us catch them before they ruin the budding vines.

My beloved belongs to me, and I belong to him. He is like a shepherd, and I am like the lily of the valley, refreshing him. I will take part in helping him with his work.

O my beloved! The evening has come. It is time for me to return to my chamber. Tomorrow morning, as soon as dawn breaks and the early breeze blows away the darkness, please hasten to find me. Hurry to find me! Even if there are obstacles, I believe you will overcome them easily, like a gazelle or a young stag leaping over the hills.

O sisters! I had a dream: At night, in my bed, I sought my husband, whom I love with all my heart. I sought him but did not find him. Therefore, I said to myself, ‘I will rise now and go about the city, wandering through the streets and the squares, to seek the one whom I love.’ I sought him everywhere but did not find him. The watchmen who go about the city found me. I asked them if they had seen my beloved. But scarcely had I passed them before I found him. I held him and would not let him go until I had brought him to my mother’s house, into the chamber of her who conceived me.

O sisters! Do not urge me to give myself to sexual relations before the wedding. The nobility and sanctity of love will quickly disappear when sexual satisfaction occurs outside of proper rituals. Just as the beautiful gazelles and does of the field quickly flee when startled before becoming accustomed to human approach.

And here is the poem:

The Voice of Love

Hark, sisters! My beloved’s voice is clear,
Leaping over hills, a gazelle drawing near.
Through windows and lattice, his gaze seeks mine,
A young stag, swift and graceful, by design.

“Arise, my love,” he calls with tender might,
“To fields and vineyards, let us take flight.
Winter’s chill has passed, the rains are gone,
Flowers bloom, and turtledoves sing their song.

The fig trees ripen, vines release their scent,
Come forth, my dove, from your rocky tent.
Your face, your voice, an intoxicating brew,
Little foxes threaten, but our love is true.”

I am his, and he is mine, forever more,
A shepherd and his lily, by love’s shore.
As evening falls, I to my chamber retire,
At dawn’s first light, his return I desire.

In dreams I sought him, through city streets,
Past watchmen’s eyes, until our hearts did meet.
To mother’s house, I brought my cherished one,
Our love preserved, until vows are done.

Sisters, heed my words and patience keep,
Love’s nobility is not a prize won cheap.
Like startled deer that swiftly flee from sight,
True love awaits the proper time and rite.

May the love, grace, and fellowship of God forever cover each of us. Amen!

Timothy Christian Huynh
Priscilla Christian Huynh
09/22/2018

Note:

[1] https://vi.wikipedia.org/wiki/C%C3%A1o_fennec